Posted on Jun 5, 2016
TSgt Alex Benningfield
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I want to hear the best thing you did while you were transitioning (whether retiring or separating) from the military.
Posted in these groups: Military civilian 600x338 Transition
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Responses: 36
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Capt Chuck Ward
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Grew a beard
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SMSgt Diana Pasterchick
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Be prepared for your plans to be rerouted. I thought I had done everything right. As a single parent to a 6 yr old and unlike some of the other responses I knew that I would not be able to relax. However I was confident I would find a job--I had gotten my degree, taken my TAP classes, started networking and worked on my resume for almost a year to get it right. The result of my preparation was two years of unemployment and having to move my little family from DC to family in Upstate NY. The BEST thing I did was stay positive and motivated. While I was unemployed I enjoyed the extra time with my daughter but kept pressing. It has worked out--I have a great job now and my family is happy. Have a plan B and C and know that your life will end up as it should be.
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SMSgt Steve Neal
SMSgt Steve Neal
9 y
Yes, just as "every battle plan changes after the first shot fired", you have a perfect example of what can happen after years of planning for an immediate career and income transition.
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SMSgt James Yearsley
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Actually, after 20+ years of mission first, everything else second, teh best thing I did at retirement was to take nearly a year of not working to learn how to be a husband and dad first.
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SMSgt Steve Neal
SMSgt Steve Neal
9 y
Amen! Put your "home" mission up front and enjoy the OJT... Great plan if your finances can support that...
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Maj Mike Sciales
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I took a 300 mile hike up the length of Idaho. Walked 15 miles a day as I left behind all things military. I completed the journey as a long haired, bearded guy. It was great.
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Failed. I couldn't find a steady job that provided for my wife and I. I was not accepted to the first college I applied to. I burned through my savings. Failure showed me that success is not easy and being a veteran does not gurantee you anything. I had to hustle, work, and network to finally achieve my goals. It was incredibly hard, but worth it in the end.
COL Jon Thompson
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I would say keep your options open in terms of what you are looking to do. It may not be the position or pay you want but it can pay off. I left active duty in 1996 after not being selected for promotion. I went back to Illinois with no jobs in sight. A couple of months later, I started working as a manager for Hertz car rental at O'Hare. It was not what I envisioned doing but I stayed with them for 11 years and became the #2 person at the O'Hare location when I left to go work as a contractor for the Army.
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I took classes to become MS network and Workstation certified, and lined up a partime job just in case I didn't find something quickly. As it happens I found a job quickly and had to move up my retirement date.
PO1 Brian Austin
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Networked like crazy starting about a year out. Listened during the retirement class. Most seemed to treat it as the social hour. Cleared up almost all my debt, leaving a car payment and mortgage. Was fortunate to begin working 10 days after my retirement date.
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SSG Jeff Beltran
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Enjoying the full transition of going back as a private citizen and a civilian. Gradually making the transition by sleeping in, spending time with my wife and the pets, growing my hair and beard out and traveling.
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Sgt Tom Cunnally
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I went back to Boston College two days after separation from active duty at Camp Geiger NC but there were Korean War Veterans at BC who helped with the transition. Also the VA suggested working part time at the Post Office while going to college. Keeping such a busy schedule with classes and working at the Post Office made the transition rather easy.
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SP5 Mark Kuzinski
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I went back to college!
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SPC Lyle Montgomery
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When I got out I broke up with my girlfriend or she broke up with me. Anyway it was mutual. I met my new girlfriend and have been married to her for 50 years.
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Lt Col Director
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Joined the reserves, WITHOUT a break in service. Flying two weekends a month get the money coming in while I was establishing a new career
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Cpl Justin Goolsby
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Well the best thing I did while transitioning was delivering my 2nd daughter into the world. She was literally due 2 weeks before my EAS.
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SrA Amy Kelly
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Checking in with the local veterans office when I settled in to my new town. It put my name on a jobs list which landed me a contract position which became a federal position. Still here 10 years later. But I was a young airman, everyone's situations are different.
Still took nearly 4.5 months to get the job (the longest I have been out of work since 12 yrs old, whew that was tough) but that gave me time to recuperate as I was in pretty poor health, and to do some volunteer work.
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Sgt Darlene Wilson
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Plan early as possible. I decided where I was going, checked out the job market and sent out resumes. The day after I got home I had an interview lined up and 21 years later I am still with the company. I paid off all of my debt before I got out so I had less financial burden to worry about. I also had six months living expenses saved up in case it took me a little longer to get a good job.
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Capt Timothy A. Grimes
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Know that your first job out of the military will most likely be a transitional job and not the one that you hold for years. It may not even be in your chosen career field or industry. However, the bills still have to be paid, and it's easier to get a job when you have one, plus you won't come across as being desperate when you interview, strengthening your salary negotiation position.
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Capt Ed Piatek
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Registered with my college placement office after 14 yr absence and located a position in the semiconductor business that kept me running constantly to keep up with younger peers whom I outlasted.
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Capt Christian D. Orr
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(1) Getting a Federal GS-series civilian law enforcement job with DHS (CBP) about a month after separating (I'd started the application process 6 months earlier) in Nov 2006.
(2) My $50K (after taxes) Voluntary Separation Pay (VSP) Separation package under Force Shaping.
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Sgt Jason Edwards
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Gathered all my training certificates, college transcripts, copied my medical folder then took two weeks off. Took advantage of the unemployment that had piled up while I looked for the right job.
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